Static Shot + a Folia

CCN – Ballet de Lorraine (France) presents at CCB Static Shot by Maude Le Pladec and a Folia by Portuguese choreographer Marco da Silva Ferreira.

Static Shot

“I envisage a very specific scenic device, situated between choreographic piece, scenic installation and cinematographic device. The dramaturgy of the piece, conceived as a block of bodies, images and sounds, will have no beginning, middle or end. Like a permanent climax, the group of dancers will together maintain this peak moment, energy always needing to be held at its zenith. So how to envision the questions of shared tension, ecstasy, and jouissance? And what about relaxation, breath, or loss?  What if pleasure becomes a motive for tension? The piece’s dynamics — ranging from mezzo forte to fortississimo – will make this piece a permanent crescendo, inviting the spectators to participate in never-ending ecstasy.” — Maud Le Pladec

Choreography Maud Le Pladec
Choreographic assistant Régis Badel
Music Chloé Thévenin and Pete Harden
Costume design Christelle Kocher – KOCHÉ
Costume assistants Laure Mahéo and Carles Urraca Serra – KOCHÉ
Lighting design Eric Soyer
Damaturgy Baudouin Woehl
Production CCN – Ballet de Lorraine
Coproduction CCN d’Orléans

Premiered on November 23, 2021 at the Scène national d’Orléans.

a Folia

With a Folia, Marco da Silva Ferreira departs from a 15th century Portuguese phenomenon to explore the concepts of ecstasy, euphoria and collective rebellion, as a driver of cultural, political and artistic construction.

Folia, a musical pillar of the Renaissance, has its origins in popular fraternization, where shepherds and shepherdesses danced quickly and confusedly, carrying men dressed as women on their shoulders. Of rural origin, linked to fertility rituals, festivals, music and dance, it quickly ended up also marking court festivities.

The term Folia was born, in portuguese, from the association with the word fole (bellows) — an object used to fan the fire. And it also has a close connection with the word fôlego (breath) — which means “take a breath” — and folga (slack) — a day of rest or leisure. The folião/foliona – the happy person, freed from work, allows himself to fill his head and lungs with fresh air and behave with follie.

It is from this web of historical references, multiple meanings and metaphors that this phenomenon derived its relevance in the past. With a little provocation, one would say that this impetus would also find meaning in the present.

Based on this historical context, the choreographer then organizes a fictional encounter between the Portuguese festival of yesteryear and contemporary dances.

Choreography Marco da Silva Ferreira
Music Luís Pestana
Costumes Aleksandar Protic
Choreographic assistant Catarina Miranda
Lights Teresa Antunes
Rehearsals Valérie Ferrando
Coproduction Mafalda Bastos and P-ulso